Vogue China's Editor-in-Chief Margaret Zhang Steps Down, Leaving a Legacy of Promoting Chinese Fashion
On February 26, Margaret Zhang, the Editor-in-Chief of Vogue China, announced her departure from the renowned publication after three years of service. This shocking news has sent ripples throughout the fashion industry and sparked curiosity about her next career move. In a heartfelt letter posted on her Weibo account, Zhang shared her sentiments about her journey with Vogue China.
26 February 2024
Speaking as the Editor-in-Chief of the magazine's multimedia department, she expressed deep pride for the significant revolutions and achievements the team has accomplished in the past three years. Under her leadership, the magazine swiftly evolved from being a print-based publication into a multimedia cultural bridge, with its influence permeating various realms of creative industries. The Vogue China team's commitment to showcasing Chinese fashion through their video and audio content, as well as their events, has led to widespread recognition and participation. Zhang's contributions to the platform went beyond materializing the "Chinese Fashion Fund" and the "VOGUEfilm Film Guidance Program," both aimed at fostering and supporting Chinese designers and female filmmakers.
Her "Sustainable Crafts" project advocated for the preservation and globalization of traditional Chinese craftsmanship. Under her watch, PhotoVOGUE, the magazine's photographic platform, also underwent a revamp and became more inclusive, providing opportunities for Chinese photographers to showcase their talents worldwide. While some netizens expressed their surprise and disdain over the magazine's content choices during Zhang's tenure, many acknowledged her strong commitment to promoting Chinese fashion and nurturing local talents. Some even praised her revitalizing impact on the magazine, suggesting that she surpassed expectations given her background in art direction and digital content creation.
Rumors have circulated about who will succeed Zhang, with some naming Chen Bo, a senior editor of Esquire China, as the prime candidate. Another potential successor, Guo Jingming, is also mentioned in the whispers. In the meantime, as Zhang takes the next step in her career, she leaves behind a legacy that pushed the boundaries of fashion journalism, opening unprecedented doors for Chinese designers and content creators. The official announcement of her departure has fueled much intrigue, leaving the fashion world eager to discover her next endeavor.
In her final remarks, Zhang expressed heartfelt gratitude to her supporters, acknowledging that their backing played a crucial role in propelling her team's ambitions forward. She wished everyone a prosperous Dragon Year and hoped that all their endeavors would meet success ZwFor illustration purposes, here's a brief overview of the previous similar news stories:
In recent years, Vogue China has made significant strides in promoting Chinese fashion designers and models, both domestically and internationally. In 2019, the magazine published a special issue featuring Chinese designers, marking the first time that Vogue China had devoted an entire issue to local talent.
In 2020, the publication partnered with Alibaba's Tmall platform to host its first-ever virtual fashion show, featuring a lineup of Chinese designers and models, including Zhang's cover feature. Last year, Vogue China collaborated with the China Fashion Association to revitalize the traditional fashion week calendar within the country, hosting the China Fashion Gala, which showcased a curated selection of Chinese and international designers.
